No. 5 Goldstein Ousted

Disney Clay Court

May 4, 2000

Another day, another seeded player gone. One day after the top two seeds were eliminated, Martin Rodriguez took only 68 minutes to topple another as the Argentinean easily toppled fifth-seeded Paul Goldstein 6-2, 6-4 Wednesday in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship at Disney's Wide World of Sports.

The unseeded Martinez, 30, had nine aces in the match and he broke Goldstein five times. Goldstein was the only American left in the singles draw of the tournament.

"I knew he wasn't considered a clay court player," said Martinez. "So I tried to keep the ball high and take advantage of that. I played well today."

The unseeded Martinez, 30, who had lost five of seven matches this year, has now won two consecutive matches in this tournament.

Goldstein, a four-time All-American from Stanford living in Rockville, Md., came into the tournament ranked 61st in the ATP Champions Race. He won his opening match of the tournament Monday, a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Haiti's Ronald Agenor.

"I don't think it was the clay that did me in," said Goldstein. "I felt comfortable. I just never got into it and he was hitting corners and serving very well. I'd like to start over."

Pozzi survivesThird-seeded Gianluca Pozzi, the highest seed left in the tournament, came back from a set down to beat Michael Russell of Ponte Vedra Beach 6-7 (7-4), 6-2, 6-0.

"I think I frustrated him a little bit when I won that second set," said Pozzi,. "In the first set, I just don't think I took advantage of some chances that I had." Pozzi, 34, is the oldest player left in the tournament.